Holy Family Parish-Riverside members Jane Duwa, Barb Simon and Father Bill Roush attend an online Zoom meeting with Deacon Frank Agnoli, Colleen Darland, Deacon Mike Linnenbrink and Dan Snyder for preparations for the upcoming National Eucharistic Pilgrimage this month.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
The St. Katherine Drexel route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will make stops in the Diocese of Davenport May 21-23. The pilgrimage, part of a national initiative of the U.S. Catholic Church, begins May 18 in Indianapolis and concludes June 22 in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Along the way, participants will walk and pray through cities and towns, stopping for public events that invite all people to encounter the heart of the Catholic faith.
In the Davenport Diocese, events are scheduled May 21 in Burlington, West Burlington and Mount Pleasant; May 22 in Washington, Riverside, Iowa City and Davenport; and May 23 in Davenport before heading to the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
Deacon Frank Agnoli, diocesan director of Liturgy, said organizers considered numerous factors in choosing pilgrimage stops. “We wanted to highlight the diversity of our diocese in terms of both place and culture: rural and urban, parish and school, Hispanic and Vietnamese communities, etc. We also had to be attentive to travel times and distances, including where the pilgrimage was coming from (Diocese of Peoria, Illinois) and where it is going (Dubuque Archdiocese), and ensure that longer outdoor processions could be done safely.”
“Given that the Eucharist commits us to care for the poor, we also wanted to include an opportunity for direct service by the pilgrims and chaplains; given the number of outreach ministries that St. Anthony Parish (in Davenport) offers, that was the perfect place to end the pilgrimage in our diocese,” Deacon Agnoli said. “After drafting a proposed route, we approached the communities in question and they were all enthusiastically willing to host the pilgrimage.”
Deacon Gary Johnson of Divine Mercy Parish-Burlington/West Burlington noted that parishioner Diane Mahoney wrote the theme song for the National Eucharistic Revival (“We Do Believe, O Lord”). Additionally, St. Paul Church in Burlington is closest to the river, making it an ideal stop. “The history of St. Paul Church has connections with Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, a missionary priest of the 1800s,” which may draw some more participants, said Deacon Johnson. “We were presented with the events and timeline and are working to make sure that it can happen successfully.”
Burlington Mayor John Billups, a member of Divine Mercy Parish has been a big help, collaborating with the parish, city and local law enforcement to ensure a smooth event. Groups within the parish are working on specific tasks, Deacon Johnson said. “This will be an exciting event, although from the planning stage it seems intimidating. My wife and I were interested in being part of the pilgrimage last summer when the Serra route came through Quincy, Illinois, but were not able to work it out. We couldn’t have imagined that we would have a new opportunity to participate, and even in our hometown,” he said. An added bonus for participants is the opportunity to visit the parish’s grotto at Ss. Mary & Patrick Church in West Burlington. “It is a beautiful place to pray, visit and simply relax.” He hopes that through the event, “many hearts will be opened to the Holy Spirit.”
Deacon Mike Linnenbrink, who serves parishes in Farmington, Houghton, St. Paul and West Point, reached out to Angie Goodwin at St. Mary Parish in Riverside about the pilgrimage. She is youth minister at several parishes in the Iowa City Deanery. “It was an incredible blessing to learn that our parish community had been selected to participate,” she said.
“We were graciously invited to be a part of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, with the understanding that final planning would need to take into account local logistics. Working closely with area farmers and business owners, we coordinated safety measures, secured permissions for property use in case of inclement weather, and arranged for the necessary housing of the Blessed Sacrament.”
In Riverside, the Eucharistic Pilgrimage will process from St. Mary Church to St. Francis Veterinary Clinic, owned by Dr. Greg Schnoebelen, a devoted St. Mary parishioner. “He generously offered to close his clinic that afternoon and allow us full use of the space,” Goodwin said. The clinic provides a large, safe area to conclude the procession. Participants will gather there for Benediction. “It allows us to conclude the procession reverently and safely,” Goodwin said.
The route, less than 2 miles long, will have two stops, along with water, one at a local park and the other at Stumpf Construction, where an altar will be set up and Scripture read. Transportation back to St. Mary Church is available with support from Highland High School, which is providing two buses. A dedicated core team at Holy Family Parish is working closely with the diocese to ensure the event’s success.
“It is an extraordinary honor for our small, rural parish to be chosen as a stop for the National Eucharistic Procession,” Goodwin said. “St. Mary’s Church of Holy Family Parish is a gem in the heart of our community and we are overjoyed to welcome visitors from across Iowa — and possibly across the country — to experience the hospitality and faith of Riverside.”“Personally, the thought of witnessing the Blessed Sacrament carried reverently down our streets, with our beloved church in the background and our countryside unfolding along the trail, fills my heart with profound awe and gratitude,” she said. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our community to be part of something truly historic and sacred.”
To take part in liturgies and other activities, please sign up on the National Pilgrimage website at https://tinyurl.com/47msk56r. For some activities, seating is limited.
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage (https://www.eucharisticpilgrimage.org/) will pass through the Diocese of Davenport.
Here is the schedule of public activities, subject to adjustment due to weather. Those who wish to take part in these liturgies and other activities will need to sign up on the National Pilgrimage website at https://tinyurl.com/47msk56r. Please note that for some activities seating is limited.
2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage – Davenport Diocese Schedule
WEDNESDAY 5/21
Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois will cross the Mississippi River at Burlington by boat with the Blessed Sacrament. Bishop Dennis Walsh will meet him at Bluff Harbor Marina.
2-2:30 p.m. Procession (1 mile) from Bluff Harbor to St. Paul Church in Burlington.
2:30-2:45 p.m. Prayer at St. Paul Church.
2:45-4:45 p.m. Procession (3.6 miles) from St. Paul Church to Ss. Mary & Patrick Church, West Burlington.
5-5:30 p.m. Mass at Ss. Mary & Patrick Church.
7:30-8:30 p.m. St. Alphonsus Church, Mount Pleasant: Holy Hour with Night Prayer (Compline).
THURSDAY 5/22
9-10 a.m. Adoration in St. James Church, Washington; close with Benediction. Please do not arrive early or enter the church while the preceding school Mass is taking place.
Noon-2 p.m. Procession from St. Mary Church, Riverside, to St. Francis Vet Clinic (2 miles).
3-4 p.m. St. Patrick Church, Iowa City: Exposition. Procession around property. Adoration. Benediction.
5:30-7 p.m. Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport: Potluck dinner.
7-8 p.m. Sacred Heart Cathedral: Holy Hour with Evening Prayer (Vespers).
8-9 p.m. Sacred Heart Cathedral: Confessions.
FRIDAY 5/23
7-11 a.m. St. Anthony Church, Davenport: Exposition, Adoration, Benediction. Morning Prayer (Lauds) at 8 a.m.; Rosary at 10 a.m.
12:05-12:30 p.m. St. Anthony Church: Mass. Pilgrims depart for Dubuque after lunch.
